


The Horse and the Swan

by brokenmimir



Series: Swan Queen Week Winter 2017 [4]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Swan Queen Week Winter 2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-01
Updated: 2017-02-01
Packaged: 2018-09-21 10:25:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9543653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brokenmimir/pseuds/brokenmimir
Summary: Swan Queen Week Winter 2017, Prompt 4: Soulmate AURegina didn't believe in soulmates.  Emma didn't believe they were for her.  Fortunately, fate didn't ask their opinion.





	

“Soulmate?” Regina snorted. “You can’t be serious.”

Tink rolled her eyes. “Of course I’m serious. One hundred percent serious. One thousand percent serious.”

“What’s the point in worrying about soulmates?” Regina said. “I’ve been married before. Trust me, I’m much happier now.”

Tink sighed. “Look, I don’t want to ruin our night out, but I hate seeing how lonely you are. Look, I’ll drop it – for tonight – with just one more thing.”

Regina rolled her eyes. “And that is?”

Tink turned to her and posed dramatically. “The only thing between you and happiness is you.”

 

* * *

 

“Come on, Emma, you only live once,” Ruby said. Beside her Mary Margaret giggled, a big grin on her face from a few too many drinks. Which, for her, meant one drink.

Emma rolled her eyes and took a shot. It burned, but she’d been stolen enough hard liquor during her youth to long ago build up a tolerance for it. Compared to the things she’d drunk at half her age the rough whiskey was smooth as silk.

“Alright!” Ruby cheered. “Now we just need to get you laid.”

Emma rolled her eyes again. “Look, Rubes, I appreciate the support, but I’m just not feeling it tonight.”

“How long has it been since you’ve been ‘feeling it’,” Ruby demanded.

Emma squinted, trying to think of an answer. “Um... a while? I guess?”

Ruby shook her head. “Longer than just a while. You haven’t been on a date in years. Come on – you’re almost thirty. Shouldn’t you be out having some fun while you’re still hot?”

“I have plenty of fun,” Emma said. “And what do you mean ‘while I’m still hot’.”

“Well, you do eat a lot of bear claws,” Mary Margaret interjected.

Emma shot her a betrayed look while Ruby cackled. “Ouch.”

Mary Margaret giggled. “Sorry, Emma. You know what you need... to find your soulmate!”

Ruby winced at Emma’s expression, but Mary Margaret was already too drunk to notice.

“I’m not interested,” Emma said.

“How can you not want a soulmate?” Mary Margaret pouted. “Its all I could dream about growing up. Mommy and daddy loved each other so much... I just wanted that for myself.”

“And we’re losing her,” Ruby said, shaking her head as Mary Margaret stared dreamily in the distance as she thought about her husband.

“Not all of us had the perfect home,” Emma said darkly. “Besides, who’d want to get tied down to someone just because a tattoo decided to start moving. The only time tattoos should move is if you’re way, way too drunk.”

“Speaking of drunk,” Ruby interjected as she saw her friend slipping into a darker mood. “M and M buys the next round!”

 

* * *

 

 

“Oh, come on,” Tink slurred. “Just one more bar. We never go out anymore!”

Regina sighed. She had drunk enough to have a good buzz herself, but it was nothing compared to her friend’s consumption. “I think you’ve had enough for one night.”

“Spoil sport,” Tink pouted. “Look, I need to hit the bathroom, anyway. I promise, I’ll just get a glass of water, and we can leave soon.”

“That’s what you said last time we went out,” Regina sighed. “Why do I let you drag me into these things?”

“Because you’d just be bitter and lonely without me?” Tink offered.

“Please,” Regina said as she was dragged inside. “I could replace you with a rock. Maybe a nice geode...”

The bar was like all of the others she’d been dragged to that night, but Tink was determined, and Regina didn’t have the heart to actually say no. She had other friends, but Tink was the only one who hadn’t settled down, gotten married, and started pumping out kids. It was nice spending time with someone who didn’t make her feel like a third wheel.

The second she stepped inside Regina felt an annoying itch, and reached over to scratch her shoulder. After a moment she shivered, feeling warmth spread over her skin. It wasn’t until the sensation moved to her face and Tink gasped that she had any idea what was happening.

 

* * *

 

 

“Karaoke, karaoke!” Ruby chanted.

“No way,” Emma said. “M and M?”

“Karaoke, karaoke,” Mary Margaret giggled.

“Ugh, you two are awful,” Emma sighed. “I’m not drunk enough to sing.”

“You’re never drunk enough,” Ruby said, pointing at her dramatically. “I’ve never seen you sing. So now you have to! Get singing!”

“If I do can we go home after?” Emma sighed.

“Sure,” Ruby and Mary Margaret said as one. Emma ignored the way they crossed their fingers behind their backs.

With another put upon sigh Emma signed up for karaoke, and a few minutes later she was on stage, nervously waiting for the stupid machine to start. It had taken a while to find something that she felt capable of actually singing and which wouldn’t make her feel like a complete idiot for performing in public. Well, more of an idiot.

She was halfway through the first chorus of the song when she felt an itch on her shoulder, which moved up her neck and to her cheek, where her skin felt strangely warm. The crowd suddenly began to cheer, loudly enough that she had trouble continuing, when Ruby practically jumped onto the stage while point at her face.

“Soulmate!” Mary Margaret shouted happily, waving her arms.

Emma furrowed her brow in confusion for a moment as she trailed off her singing as her eyes were drawn to a beautiful brunette that had just walked through the door. The woman was staring at her in shock, and on her face a tattoo of a swan in flight circled around her nose, flapping its wings triumphantly.

 

* * *

 

Without even meaning to Regina’s gaze was drawn to the blonde on the stage giving a truly dreadful rendition of some insipid radio classic. She was beautiful, but that wasn’t what caught her eye. Even the loudly screaming crowd and her jumping, squealing friend beside her couldn’t distract her from the living soulmate tattoo that pranced and galloped across the woman’s pale face.

“Look, your soulmate!” Tink shouted, pushing her forward. Regina stumbled as she found herself forcefully shoved towards the karaoke stage. “You have to meet her!”

“I- I don’t-” Regina stuttered, but before she could say anything else she had been shoved in front of the other woman, who had come down from the stage. “Hello.”

“Hey.”

Regina saw the uncomfortable, frightened look in her eye, and suddenly felt much calmer. “Regina Mills,” she said, extending a hand.

“Emma Swan,” the blonde said, taking it with a shy smile.

Their tattoos glowed golden, before moving back under their clothes, while the drunken crowd around them cheered.

 

 


End file.
